


Big Brother of Mine

by awkwardblogger



Series: Home Is Where The Heart Is [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Big brother Jonathan, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Polyamory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protectiveness, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-27 21:23:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8417320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardblogger/pseuds/awkwardblogger
Summary: Jonathan and Will take their jobs as being Eleven's big brothers very seriously and quickly realize being big brothers to a little sister is way out of their league.





	

Jonathan Byers had always been more like a father than a big brother to Will, so when Eleven joined their little family, he was ready to step up to take that same role in her life; that was until the Chief claimed it. Jim was in a serious relationship with Joyce and decided to take the role of Eleven’s father, knowing the young girl needed a dad. At first, Eleven was hesitant, but she quickly found her place in the family and loved her brothers, mother and father. Will loved being Eleven’s big brother, because he wasn’t the youngest anymore and Eleven made him feel useful. Joyce quickly knew that Eleven was meant to be her daughter, and was more than pleased to have the little girl in her life.

Jonathan quickly loved his sister too, but he found himself struggling to allow Jim to take the fatherhood role. Eleven was his new little sister and she was fragile in ways that Jonathan had never seen; he knew he had to protect her from the evil, dark world the moment he broke into Joyce’s room on Eleven’s first night and calmed her after a nightmare. He felt overwhelmingly protective of Eleven, especially after learning the abuse she suffered at the hands of The Hawkins Lab. He didn’t understand how someone could do that to anyone, let alone a little girl.

But after three months of Eleven finding her way into their family, Eleven began to want to see more than just her home and the Wheeler’s. She wanted to explore and meet new people.

“C’mon Mom, Eleven wants to meet new people! What’s wrong with that?” Will asked, really laying it on thick as he batted his eyelashes at his mother.

“Will, you and I both know what’s wrong with that.” Joyce deadpanned, giving her best “no bullshit” face. “El doesn’t understand everything and if she asks what, I don’t know… if she asks what the Easter Bunny is or whatever, they’ll know something is strange.”

“But she knows so much more than she used to!” Will reminded his mom.

“That doesn’t make it safe for her to meet new people, though.” Jim said. “I know you’re just trying to be a good big brother, but it’s too soon for El to meet new people.”

Jonathan listened to the exchange, and his heart hurt for his little sister. She was getting cabin fever and wanted more, she knew there was so much more to Hawkins than what she had seen and she yearned for it; and he wanted to give that to her. It frustrated him that he couldn’t do more for her, because as her brother, he wanted to see her happy. Two hours later, Jonathan was at Steve’s house, his hair wild, shirt and pants missing while his two lovers were equally as clothed, lounging around in their post-orgasmic bliss.

“What’s got you so distracted, Johnny-boy?” Steve asked, stroking the back of Jonathan’s neck lovingly.

“I’m just worried about my sister is all.” Jonathan told his boyfriend honestly, causing his girlfriend to purse her lips.

“Why? Is El okay?” Nancy asked, leaning forward, closer to Jonathan from Steve’s other side.

“She wants to meet new people and see more of Hawkins. Mom says she’s not ready yet.” Jonathan answered.

“Pfft, she’s forgetting one important thing though.” Steve smirked.

“Oh, and what’s that?” Jonathan cocked an eyebrow.

“El has you and you have the best boyfriend and girlfriend in all of Hawkins.” Steve was grinning like a mad man.

“Steve, you’re not making any sense, babe.” Nancy told him, patting his right pec.

“We’ll take her out, all three of us.” Steve began. “We’ll take her to the park, let her get some air, meet some kids and we’ll keep an eye on her. On the way back we get ice cream and show her the mall, then we take her home.”

“And she’ll have seen Hawkins and met new people.” Nancy put it together. “Steve, that’s genius!”

“It’s been known to happen.” Steve mocked boasted, before being cut off by Jonathan’s lips.

“God, you are the best boyfriend on the planet.” Jonathan sighed happily.

Joyce was ready to scream when Jonathan presented the idea, no not presented; when he told her what was going to happen.

“You can’t keep her cooped up in here forever and if we don’t allow it, she’ll sneak out and explore on her own.” Had been Jonathan’s ending, and Joyce hated to admit it, but it was true.

Over the months, El had become her little baby, and there was no denying that El didn’t understand everything and missed out on quite a bit of life. She supposes it’s normal for her to want to shield El from the outside world after what had happened to the poor girl, but she can’t. It’s not possible, despite how much her maternal instincts beg to differ.

“Alright, fine.” Joyce sighed. “Two hours tops. She doesn’t leave your sight the entire time; are we clear?”

“Yes ma’am, of course.” Jonathan coursed, beaming. “Thanks Mom, you won’t regret it, I promise.”

Joyce smiled softly as her oldest bolted out of the room and to his little sister’s. His knuckles rapt gently on the door and El’s quiet “come in” could be heard if Joyce listened closely. El’s room had been Will’s before they got her, and the walls were bare compared to how it had been when Will inhabited the room; but Jonathan and Will were slowly filling their sister’s walls with photographs and posters.

Jonathan walked in, grinning so hard it must have hurt his face. “El-bean, I’ve got good news. Mom says I can take you out tomorrow; show you around Hawkins.”

Eleven’s jaw dropped and her eyes twinkled with excitement. “Really?”

“Really. Tomorrow after school Steve, Nancy and me will come here and pick you up.” Jonathan confirmed.

El walked up to her brother and hugged him, earning a hug back. Hugs were one of the many things that Eleven didn’t know about until she returned from the upside down and was adopted by the Byers, but she loved them. She also loved the nick name she had earned from her brothers and Joyce and Hopper, “El-bean”. Joyce and Hopper encouraged her to call them “Mom” and “Dad” but she was making slow progress on that front.

“Thank you, Jonathan.” Eleven said softly, releasing her older brother.

“You are very welcome.” Jonathan told her, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving her be.

As her door clicked shut, a smile was firmly in place on Eleven’s face. She didn’t know how Jonathan convinced Joyce to let him take her outside, but she was very happy he did. She tried to imagine what the parts of Hawkins she hadn’t seen were like. She longed to breath the fresh air again and thanks to her oldest brother, she would.

At dinner that night, Eleven turned to Jonathan and asked, what she believed to be a simple, question. “Where are we going to go?”

Will blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about, El?”

“She talking to me, Will.” Jonathan said gently. “Mom said I could take her out on the town tomorrow.”

Hopper chocked and had a minor coughing fit at the news.

“This is the first I’ve heard of this.” Hopper said, giving his girlfriend a look.

“Jonathan, where are we going?” Eleven asked again, this time tugging on his sleeve.

“It’s not a big deal, Hopper.” Joyce told her boyfriend, grinding her teeth. “She wants to see Hawkins and I trust Jonathan, Steve and Nancy to keep her safe.”

“Oh but not me, Mike, Lucas and Dustin?” Will fired, glaring angrily at his mom.

“That is not what I said, William, and you know it!” Joyce huffed.

“How could you not talk to me about this Joyce?” Jim demanded. “She’s **our** daughter! We’re supposed to be a team in this! How am I supposed to be her dad if I don’t know what’s going on, huh?”

“Don’t you start with me, Jim!” Joyce snapped. “You can call yourself her dad all you want but you don’t spend enough time with her for her to think of you as her dad.”

“I’m busy with work.” Jim countered.

“I can’t believe you’re fighting about this! This isn’t about Hopper, it’s about that you don’t trust me!” Will shouted.

“Jonathan…” Eleven whispered, her fist now clenched in Jonathan’s sleeve.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay El. I promise, they’re just arguing.” Jonathan breathed as Eleven stared at the scene in front of her with wide, terrified eyes.

“Make it stop.” She croaked, closing her eyes tight.

“I do trust you, Will! But Jonathan is older and better experienced with kids.” Joyce points out.

“You had no right to say that, Joyce!” Jim hollered, jumping to his feet in frustration. “I’m doing my best!”

“You’re lying! You don’t trust me, you haven’t since I came back from the upside down!” Will accused.

There shouting was too much for Eleven. Jonathan took her hands and led her out of the kitchen as she flinched and whimpered. He almost got her into her room when Will slammed his hands on the table and shouted as Joyce screeched at Will and Jim. Eleven squeaked in fear and she slipped out of his reach and out the door as he found himself flung against the wall.

“Eleven, no!” Jonathan cried.                                            

The shouting in the kitchen stopped immediately and Joyce rushed to him, Hopper and Will in toe.

“Jonathan!” Joyce gasped, her arms reaching out for her son. “Oh my god, what happened?”

Jonathan pushed himself up, slowly getting up, groaning softly at the soreness in his back. “Someone hit the table, it scared Eleven, she accidentally threw me against the wall and ran.”

“Shit!” Jim cursed, running his hands threw his hair.

“Hey, calm down.” Joyce said, sending her boyfriend a look. “There are only so many places she knows in Hawkins, we’ll find her.”

As they spoke, Eleven was running as fast as her bare feet could carry her. Her brain was throbbing, her memory flooded her with the horrors from Hawkins Lab. She didn’t think, she just ran. The cold air beat down on her as she ran, she could see her breath and if she wasn’t so scared, she probably would have stopped to stare. She found herself at Mike’s house without even meaning to and let herself into the basement.

It was empty, but it was warm and smelled like Mike. She grabbed a blanket off the couch and wrapped it around herself and sat down, quietly allowing herself to calm. Upstairs, Mike heard the basement door open and shut from his living room. The only person who came in through the basement unannounced was El, so he pushed himself up and ran down the basement stairs.

“El!” He cried, his face brightening up as he saw her.

Her cheeks were rosy and the blanket served as a cape as she stood with a soft smile on her face.

“Mike.” She whispered.

“What are you doing here? Uh, not that I’m not happy to see you or anything… I just…” Mike trailed off.

“It was scary at home.” El breathed as Mike walked closer to her.

“Scary?” He asked.

“Scary.” She confirmed. “Not feel safe.”

Mike nodded and allowed Eleven to lean into him for support, her head resting gently on his shoulder. Sometimes Eleven would sneak into his house when she didn’t feel safe, and it was almost always nothing. It typically came from nightmares, stuff Chief Hopper called “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, but no one besides him seemed to know what it meant.

“We should call Joyce and let her know you’re here.” Mike said softly.

El nodded stiffly, her grasp on Mike tightening.

“You can come with me.” Mike told her. “You don’t have to stay down here, you’re not a secret anymore, El.”

Eleven nodded again and allowed Mike to lead her up the stairs. Karen Wheeler blinked in confusion when Mike came back from the basement with El on his arm. She knew that the little girl snuck into the basement quite frequently, but normally she heard it.

“Hi, El.” She greeted the girl, forcing herself to smile.

She learned that El hadn’t had an easy life, and was easily scared, so she tried her best to be sweet and friendly around Eleven constantly, but she wasn’t always happy.

“Hi Mrs. Wheeler.” Eleven said softly.

“We’re gonna call Ms. Byers so she knows where El is.” Mike told his mother, barley bothering to look at her as he picked up the phone and rang the Byers.

Within five minutes of the call, Jonathan Byers was pulling up in the driveway, Will in his front seat. Eleven was sitting on the porch with Mike, a blanket still wrapped around her like a cloak. Jonathan sprung out of the car.

“El, oh my god! I was so worried!” Jonathan sighed in relief as he ran to his sister.

“I’m okay. Was just scared.” She told him softly. “Sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay, but you have to tell us when you’re going to Mike’s from now on, okay?” Jonathan hummed, smoothing her hair and hugging her.

She hugged back tight and Jonathan sent Mike a nod of thanks over Eleven’s head. Will came out of the car and joined the hug, feeling like he could breathe easier than he could when she was missing.

Becoming Eleven’s big brothers hadn’t been what the two Byers boys had been expecting. Will and Jonathan were fiercely protective of her, and her PTSD and tendency to run off gave them plenty of anxiety over her. But as the two boys held their sister, they knew it was worth it.


End file.
